Cleveland claimed defensive end Joe Jackson (hence the above puns) from the Cowboys and defensive tackle Vincent Taylor from the Bills to add to their defensive line depth.
The Browns waived defensive tackle Eli Ankou and tight end Pharoah Brown to make room for the two defensive linemen.
Joe Jackson is a player that was drafted in the fifth round in 2019 from Miami as an early entry.
The 6'4 Jackson led the Hurricanes in sacks with nine as a junior before leaving Miami and similar to Mack Wilson in the same draft slid further than expected in pre-draft predictions.
Jackson played in five games for Dallas last season but did not finish with a sack although he is listed with a few tackles and a pass deflection.
Dallas brought in a few veteran defensive ends in the off-season including Aldon Smith and Everson Griffin, so Jackson was going to have a difficult time making the Cowboys with the extra money spent at the position.
Jackson's an interesting pickup and at his age (Jackson will not turn 24 until December), Jackson still has room to develop.
I like this addition a lot.
The other claim was defensive tackle Vincent Taylor, who was a sixth-round pick from Oklahoma State for the Dolphins in 2017.
The 6'3 305 pounds Taylor spent two seasons in Miami, playing 21 games during that time, making twenty-six solo tackles and two sacks before being waived last season.
Buffalo signed Taylor, who played in three games for the Bills, finishing with six tackles.
Noted as a run-stuffing type, Taylor has a special talent, and knowing the commitment to special teams from the Kevin Stefanski staff in keeping players that specialize there, my guess is that Taylor might have been claimed for his kick blocking skills.
Taylor has blocked three field goals in his NFL career and was noted for blocking kicks during his years with Oklahoma State.
That is the type of specialty that can make a difference in making a team and may have helped the Browns interest in Taylor.
I remember when the Browns had Shaun Rogers, who took up a lot of space in the line and was very good at sticking his hand up and blocking kicks, perhaps Taylor was signed for this skill as much as his line play?
The Browns made space by waiving defensive tackle Eli Ankou and tight end Pharoah Brown.
Ankou played in nine games after being signed from Jacksonville last season finishing with seven tackles.
Brown also played in nine games, catching two passes for twenty-seven yards.
Brown was the bigger surprise as I thought he might stick around as the top blocking tight end.
Kevin Stefanski is known for his love of tight ends, but five of them would be a tough carry for any team, and the athleticism of Stephen Carlson might have made Carlson a more likely claim than Brown on the wire.
I would speculate that both would be added to the practice squad, should they clear waivers.
Of the Browns Saturday releases, only one player was claimed as wide receiver Damion Ratley was claimed by the New York football Giants.
The physically talented, yet fragile Ratley figured to have a chance to be claimed, and former Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens is on the Giants staff, so they may have had an inside word or two on the former Texas A&M Aggie.
The Browns signed 14 players to the practice squad, including quarterback Garrett Gilbert and running back Dontrell Hilliard, and wide receiver Taywon Taylor, but there were a few thoughts that came to my mind as well.
The Browns returned cornerback A.J. Green, but not Donovan Olumba in a surprise to me.
I thought Olumba had a great chance of making the team and not to make the practice squad is puzzling.
No one claimed former third-round defensive end Chad Thomas and the Browns didn't bring him back either.
Perhaps the rumors of Thomas not being dedicated to the game have spread to other teams as well?\
The surprise was the one squad signing that was not in camp originally as the Browns signed former Brown Cody Parkey to the squad.
Parkey has a huge leg with ten career field goals of fifty years or more and kicked for the 2016 Browns connecting on 20 of 25 field goals.
Parkey spent 2017 with the Dolphins and 2018 with the Bears and was released by the Bears after the "double doink" off the upright and crossbar on a game-winning field goal attempt against the Eagles in the playoffs.
Parkey appeared in three games last season for Tennessee, successfully converting three field goal attempts.
I'm not sure this is a move to put some heat on Austin Seibert, I think it's a nod to Covid-19 in wanting to have a veteran kicker in town and ready to go in the event that something would occur in these crazy time.
A smart decision in my opinion.
I'll have a Browns preview later in the week.
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